ALL GOD’S CHILDREN
In an unprecedented attempt to heal centuries of racism and antisemitism, and combat the rising racial and ethnic tension in their Brooklyn communities, activist Rabbi Rachel Timoner teams up with Baptist Reverend Robert Waterman to unite their congregations. As their faith is put to the test, both congregations struggle to not let their differences drive them apart.
ALL GOD’S CHILDREN follows their journey, offering a powerful blueprint for how other communities might bridge divides and foster true unity. This compelling narrative lays the foundation for an impact campaign that could ignite transformative change far beyond Brooklyn.
ALL GOD’S CHILDREN premiered as the CENTERPIECE film at DOC NYC 2024, where it won Runner Up for the Audience Award and garnered 100% positive reviews. DOC NYC draws the entire filmmaking community to Gotham Hall annually and is where Ondi Timoner received the Visionary Award for Observational Filmmaking in 2022.
Quotes
“An edifying parable for our time...Consequential and instructive”
“Thoughtful and Powerful… Ondi Timoner captures a turbulent but inspiring story - this film gives us hope...Timoner’s film doesn’t shy away from the hard work that needs to go into making a dream such as this a reality.”
“[All God’s Children] echoes the sentiment that struck many viewers in Vice President Harris’s eloquent concession speech: it’s only when it’s darkest that one sees the stars...ALL GOD’S CHILDREN is a portrait of what it means to reach for the stars—and remember that the multitude of stars shining ultimately brightens the sky.”
“A model for how other communities might come together in peace...One of 11 Films to See at New York’s Premier Documentary Fest.”
“Timoner captures the challenge inherent in seeking common ground between members of the faith communities.”
“My prayer is that this becomes a model in other communities: how to practice tolerance. If I had to do it all over again, I would do it.”
“No matter how dark the world gets, I do not lose my hope in our ability as human beings to change. I will never walk away from this.”
Director’s Statement
“I began what became ALL GOD’S CHILDREN as a short film called REBEL RABBI in 2019. I was inspired by my sister’s Rabbi Rachel Timoners determination to do whatever she could to set things right in the world. As a Rabbi, she had been arrested eight times in the last couple of years for leading nonviolent protests, but I knew Rachel’s primary mission was always to fight racism, dating back to our childhood in the segregated South.
Shortly after we started filming, she had a meeting with Reverend Dr. Robert Waterman, and they set about an unprecedented partnership to try to stop racism and antisemitism in their Brooklyn communities by becoming family - so following Rachel and Robert’s mission became our focus, and boy was it a tumultuous ride!
Five years later we have emerged with a feature film which I believe is an inspiring example of how to foster enduring dialogue and the power of partnership, across all differences - religious, racial, or economic.”
About the Cast & Crew
CAST
Rabbi Rachel Timoner
Rabbi Rachel Timoner serves as Senior Rabbi of Congregation Beth Elohim in Park Slope, Brooklyn. Her initiatives in recent years include a rabbinic conversation on antisemitism, a study series on systemic racism in America, a sukkah about the refugee experience, a Dismantling Racism Team which was part of the successful campaigns to Raise the Age of criminal responsibility and to win bail reform in the State of New York, and a partnership with Antioch Baptist Church to address racism and antisemitism in Brooklyn, which is the subject of the feature documentary ALL GOD’S CHILDREN.
Rachel helped to launch RAC-NY and Reform California, two statewide efforts to bring Reform Jewish values to bear on core issues of our times, such as immigration, affordable housing, and racial profiling. In Nov 2016, Rabbi Timoner, with City Council member Brad Lander, co-founded #GetOrganizedBK in CBE’s sanctuary, so that over the next two years, ten thousand Brooklyn neighbors came together to resist autocracy and protect human rights. In May 2022, she gathered 55 women rabbis of all denominations to meet with the mayor to change the face of Jewish leadership in New York. On any given Shabbat, you’ll find Rabbi Timoner speaking about our purpose as Jews and human beings, the moral challenges of our times, the ways we need each other, and awakening to the spiritual aspect of our lives.
Reverend Dr. Robert Waterman
Reverend Dr. Robert M. Waterman is a dynamic pastor with over 21 years at the helm of Antioch Baptist Church in Brooklyn. Known as “The Preacher of Thunder,” he is a powerful voice for both spiritual and social change. With a deep commitment to restoring lives, Dr. Waterman leads Antioch in addressing community needs and building a stronger, more connected community.
Beyond his pastoral duties, Dr. Waterman is an accomplished educator and advocate, having served in various influential roles at Medgar Evers College and as a teacher in Brooklyn. His visionary approach extends to founding Canticles, a sober lounge that serves as a vibrant community hub for cultural and social events.
A staunch activist, Dr. Waterman holds leadership positions in several organizations, including the African American Clergy and Elected Officials Organization (A.A.C.E.O.). In this role, he is crucial in sparking essential conversations and fostering collaboration between clergy and policymakers, addressing the most pressing challenges facing his community. His authorship of books like “God has left the Building” and “From Scattered to Unstoppable Dreams” showcases his dedication to reimagining the church’s role in modern outreach and providing hope in uncertain times. Dr. Waterman embodies the power of faith-driven leadership to inspire change and uplift communities.
CREW
Ondi Timoner - Director/Producer/Editor/Writer
Ondi Timoner is an internationally-acclaimed filmmaker whose work focuses on “impossible visionaries” (and LAST FLIGHT HOME is no different.) She has the rare distinction of winning the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance twice, for DIG! (2004) about the collision of art and commerce and WE LIVE IN PUBLIC (2009) about the loss of privacy online as predicted in a bunker in NY over the turn of the millenium. Both films were acquired by MoMA NY for its permanent collection. Since then, Ondi’s created award-winning films / series such as JOIN US about mind control, COOL IT about climate change, BRAND: A Second Coming about the transformation of Russell Brand, JUNGLETOWN about an intentional community in remote Panama, COMING CLEAN about the opioid crisis, and MAPPLETHORPE a film she also wrote and produced about Robert Mapplethorpe starring Matt Smith (recommend the Director’s Cut on Hulu). She’s currently directing a feature about the disruption and decentralization of finance.
Travon Free - Executive Producer
Travon is an Academy Award and Emmy Award winning writer and director known for his Oscar-winning short, “Two Distant Strangers.” Travon Free’s writing can be found all over TV and the internet as one of the most sought-after comedic voices on social, political and pop culture issues by many major TV and print outlets. His writing and directing credits include Showtime’s BLACK MONDAY, HBO’s CAMPING and WINNING TIME, THE DAILY SHOW WITH JON STEWART and TREVOR NOAH, SINGLE DRUNK FEMALE, and was the co-head writer on FULL FRONTAL WITH SAMANTHA BEE. A five-time Emmy winner himself, he was also a producer of the short documentary 38 AT THE GARDEN that was shortlisted for an Academy Award in 2022 and won the 2022 Sports Emmy for Best Short Documentary.
Travon also recently claimed a Sports Emmy for writing and directing What Agnes Saw, a short film about a 100-year-old Olympian, which was played as part of the opening ceremony during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. HIs feature-length documentary BS High premiered in the spring at the 2023 Tribeca Film festival before airing on HBO in the summer. He recently co- wrote and is set to direct the Jerry Bruckheimer-produced adaptation of S.A. Cosby’s hit best-selling novel “Razorblade Tears,” is directing an indie feature, “Sadboi” starring Sandra Oh and Jim Parsons, as well as writing and directing an original global heist film, “The Grand Complication” for.
David Turner - Producer
David Turner began his career as the founder of Film Canopy, a sustainability-themed content production company, where he managed the business, and wrote, directed, shot, and edited narrative and documentary content. His interests in environmental sustainability and storytelling led him to Panama in 2016, where he worked with Interloper films to support production of the VICELAND documentary series, JUNGLETOWN (2017). He transitioned full-time to Interloper Films in 2018, where as a producer he’s been responsible for the development and production of various documentary feature and series projects, including the recently-released COMING CLEAN (2020) - a film about America’s opioid crisis, and upcoming Interloper series/feature documentaries BETWEEN US, REPLIKA and @WALLSTREETBETS.
Morgan Doctor - Composer
Morgan Doctor is a Juno and Dora nominated performer and composer. Morgan’s original scores can be found on award winning films such as COMING CLEAN (2021) and Oscar shortlisted and Emmy nominated film, LAST FLIGHT HOME (2022). Her most recent work, THE NEW AMERICANS, premiered at 2023 SXSW film festival.
As a drummer, Morgan has spent years touring and playing with such Canadian artists as Andy Kim (Arts and Crafts), Jill Barber, Amanda Rheaume, and Fefe Dobson. She has drummed with The Cliks (Warner/Tommyboy), Chantal Kreviazuk, Raine Maida, Ron Sexsmith, Kevin Drew, Alex Lifeson Feist, Sandra Bernhard and many others.
Morgan Doctor has performed and appeared on live National TV (MTV Live, David Letterman,MTV CRIBS, MTV Total Request Live, IFC, CNN, Craig Ferguson, etc) and live radio shows, awards ceremonies, TV and radio commercials, sold out theaters and arenas, music videos, and countless full length albums. Morgan also performed and won at MTV LOGO’s “Artist on the Brink” Award for 2008 with The Cliks. She received a Dora nomination for her sound design for Between Us Goddess in 2005 and earned a Juno and Dora nomination with her work with The Toronto Tabla Ensemble in 2001. Morgan’s session drumming can be heard on such TV and Film Soundtracks as the CBC Metro Morning, The L Word, and Grey’s Anatomy. Morgan is a big advocate of music education and teaches at Girls Rock Camp Toronto as a drum instructor and band coach.
In 2006 Morgan signed with Aporia Records and has released four solo albums. Her most recent release, Strangers explores the actions of connecting and disconnecting, and the fragile boundary between intimacy and estrangement. “… it is a rare musician who can make an instrumental album that seems confessional” – Toronto Star
Dirty Robber
Dirty Robber is an Oscar, Emmy, Cannes Lions, AICP, and Clio award-winning production company based in Los Angeles. Production partners include Netflix, HBO, Showtime, Apple, Nat Geo, Facebook, and ESPN+. Dirty Robber has worked with talent as diverse as Kobe Bryant, Wiz Khalifa, Ronda Rousey, Tom Brady, and LeBron James.
The two most recent projects are the Critic’s Choice nominee BS High, a feature about a fake high school football team and the narcissistic head coach who lured in wide eyes students that premiered at Tribeca and can be watched on HBO; and Netflix's Dancing For The Devil, a true crime series about a cult that uses Tik Tok influencers to grow their ranks, that is the platforms most viewed unscripted show of 2024. Dirty Robber is a small team that works hard to tell great stories.
Xpedition Media
Xpedition is a next generation global entertainment and creative agency. independently built for world-changing work. Named an Adweek Fastest Growing Agency and an Inc. 5000 Fastest-Growing Company in 2023, they blend California-born creativity with teams in SF, NYC, LA and London.
Their humanity-first approach to campaigns, content, events and experiences has earned the trust of major brands like Google and Adidas. They’ve made Super Bowl ads for YouTube, trained with influencers for FitBit, and crafted experiences for the world's media with Google Ads.
Their diverse team, shaped by LGBTQIA+ ownership and 60%+ female leadership, centers authenticity and champions diverse narratives. This pairs with their three main principles: letting the story lead, honoring the people, and reaching for impact.
In addition to their creative work with brands, Xpedition’s prior two documentaries include Emmy-nominated Angel Dose with Oscar nominated director Sami Khan (The Last Out, St. Louis Superman) and feature doc Kenyatta: Do Not Wait Your Turn, Executive Produced with the Today Show’s Al Roker. They are also producing climate-political thriller, Messengers (directed by Nadia Gill), alongside Alex Gibney, due out in 2025.